Special Sessions
The IBS curriculum includes a series of special sessions held during Orientation and throughout the semester. These sessions address topics of current debate such as corporate governance and accountability, tradeoffs between equity and efficiency and individual values and intraorganizational conflicts in the workplace.
Special sessions include panel discussions, guest speakers, case discussions and student workshops. Upcoming and past events are listed on the Events Calendar.
Select Events from Past Years:
Leadership Perspectives on Corporate Governance
Lee Cooperman, Chairman and CEO of Omega Advisors and Chris Browne, Managing Director of Tweedy, Browne Company, joined Dean Glenn Hubbard and students to discuss leadership and corporate governance and the role of active investors. They spoke about recent high profile cases where boards have failed to fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities and how this might be reformed in the future.
 Ingrid Dyott speaking on socially responsible investing |
Corporate Social Responsibility and the Bottom Line
Ingrid Dyott of Neuberger Berman (pictured), Kevin Thurm of Citigroup and David Schilling of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, discussed how companies are interacting with stakeholders, society and the environment. Ray Horton, Frank R. Lautenberg Professor of Ethics and Corporate Governance and Director of the Social Enterprise Program moderated.
Corporate Governance: Hollinger International Inc. Case
Professor Frank Edwards led a student discussion on the types of transactions, ownership structure, role of the board of directors and key governance mechanisms in this case, and how similar issues have played a role in recent corporate scandals in the news.
Film Screening of "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room"
Professor Eric Abrahamson led the post-film discussion of this documentary on the people behind the Enron scandal. Students examined the contributing factors that led to the downfall of the company and explored options that could be considered by leaders and managers when these issues arise in the future. Read more coverage
Fighting AIDS in Africa: Lessons from Botswana
It is estimated that nearly 30 million people in SubSaharan Africa suffer from HIV/AIDS, making the region responsible for nearly two-thirds of the world’s reported cases. In 2000, in an effort to combat the epidemic, Merck and the Gates Foundation teamed up with the government of Botswana, which is among the hardest-hit countries. Jeffrey Sturchio, vice president of Merck & Co., joins Professor Lee Branstetter to discuss what the company has learned from this and other public/private initiatives. Read more coverage
How High the Firewall? Separating Investment Banking from Research
Sallie Krawcheck ’92, CFO and head of strategy for Citigroup, and Trevor Harris, managing director at Morgan Stanley and codirector of the Center for Excellence in Accounting and Security Analysis at the School, joined Dean Glenn Hubbard in exploring regulation’s role in resolving conflicts of interest on Wall Street. Read more coverage
Corporate Social Responsibility and the Financial Sector
Chris Beale, managing director of Citigroup Global Markets, and Scott MacLeod, managing director of the Global Environment Fund, discussed tradeoffs between the firm, society and the environment. Professor Geoffrey Heal, who is noted for his work aligning economics and the environment, moderated. Read more coverage
Symbol Technologies: Securities Fraud Investigation and Corporate Governance
CFO Mark Greenquist ’86 and General Counsel Peter Lieb discussed navigating Symbol Technologies through the aftermath of an SEC investigation into allegations of securities fraud, including manipulation of inventory levels, channel stuffing, use of “cookie jar” reserves and fabrication of restructuring charges. The investigation, which centered on activities between 1998 and 2003, led to the criminal indictment of 12 former executives and a $37 million dollar civil penalty.
Scenes from the Slippery Slope
Decision Theater, a group of professional actors who dramatize personal decisions in corporate life, presented scenes from business life that pose dilemmas and challenge values. Then, the action stopped and the audience chose the course of action. Professors Beim and Abrahamson led discussions.
Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Crime
Leslie Caldwell, now a partner at the law firm Morgan Lewis, discusses her work as director of the Enron Task Force at the U.S. Department of Justice in 2002. In that role, she led federal prosecutors, FBI and IRS agents in investigating one of the most complex cases of corporate fraud in history.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act: Too Little, Too Far, or Just Enough?
Led by Dean Hubbard and featuring Commissioners Paul Atkins and Harvey Goldschmid of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the panel debated the costs and benefits of the landmark legislation on corporate accountability. Read more coverage
The Individual and the Firm
Professor Michael Feiner of the Management Division lead incoming students through a case discussion dealing with a clash of personal values in the workplace. The case challenged students to discover effective ways of dealing with moral dilemmas in the workplace.
Emerging Markets and Corruption
Professors Ray Fisman and Steven Feldman ’81 discussed the tension that can arise when attempting to adhere to an American idea of ethical business practices while doing business overseas. Read more coverage
The Changing Role of Today’s Boards
A distinguished panel considered the intersection between the theory of law and the practice of serving on corporate boards, including when societal, corporate and personal values may be in conflict. Read more coverage
